What was that suff ? part two
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,682
Likes: 696
From: Danville Illinois
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
2021 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
What was that suff ? part two
Got out to the garage yesterday to search where the rubber bits i found in the driveway came from.
Only two years old and they falling apart. Got them from a local parts house in town when i replaced the rear-end cover. I am going to say they are the Poly type of material. Considering i got 38 years out of the original rubber ones that's what i ordered from Willcox. Is this normal for the Poly bushings?
Any certain brand or manufacture of the poly stuff that does this? What if one did a complete car with it?
Only two years old and they falling apart. Got them from a local parts house in town when i replaced the rear-end cover. I am going to say they are the Poly type of material. Considering i got 38 years out of the original rubber ones that's what i ordered from Willcox. Is this normal for the Poly bushings?
Any certain brand or manufacture of the poly stuff that does this? What if one did a complete car with it?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,018
Likes: 582
From: West Monroe Louisiana
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I used the rubber original style on mine and it still looks like new.
I will post a photo later, my camera battery is dead.
I got them from Corvette Central and they have been on for
over 2 years.
http://www.parts123.com/corvettecent...size=50&page=1
Donnie
I will post a photo later, my camera battery is dead.
I got them from Corvette Central and they have been on for
over 2 years.
http://www.parts123.com/corvettecent...size=50&page=1
Donnie
Racer
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 406
Likes: 46
From: Lebanon OH
Mod75,
Those look like some bad rubber cushions to me. I've had some bad luck with rubber bushings, but I've also had some that seem fine. I suspect that some of the rubber we get was not made to the same standards as what's in the original GM bushings, so it's a crap shoot.
I went through two sets of rear strut rods in three years. The thin rubber insulator just disintegrated. I ended up going with a heim joint set-up instead. I've used poly with great results, and I get mine from Energy Suspension.
There are many opinions on the best use of poly, but I agree with those who say that poly is best for areas with no movement, like motor mounts, or simple movement, like control arms (mostly rotational). For more complicated areas like strut rods and trailing arms (rotational and torsional), either rubber or mechanical work better because poly isn't very soft or flexible.
Hope this helps.
MajD
Those look like some bad rubber cushions to me. I've had some bad luck with rubber bushings, but I've also had some that seem fine. I suspect that some of the rubber we get was not made to the same standards as what's in the original GM bushings, so it's a crap shoot.
I went through two sets of rear strut rods in three years. The thin rubber insulator just disintegrated. I ended up going with a heim joint set-up instead. I've used poly with great results, and I get mine from Energy Suspension.
There are many opinions on the best use of poly, but I agree with those who say that poly is best for areas with no movement, like motor mounts, or simple movement, like control arms (mostly rotational). For more complicated areas like strut rods and trailing arms (rotational and torsional), either rubber or mechanical work better because poly isn't very soft or flexible.
Hope this helps.
MajD
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,853
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Got out to the garage yesterday to search where the rubber bits i found in the driveway came from.
Only two years old and they falling apart. Got them from a local parts house in town when i replaced the rear-end cover. I am going to say they are the Poly type of material. Considering i got 38 years out of the original rubber ones that's what i ordered from Willcox. Is this normal for the Poly bushings?
Any certain brand or manufacture of the poly stuff that does this? What if one did a complete car with it?
Only two years old and they falling apart. Got them from a local parts house in town when i replaced the rear-end cover. I am going to say they are the Poly type of material. Considering i got 38 years out of the original rubber ones that's what i ordered from Willcox. Is this normal for the Poly bushings?
Any certain brand or manufacture of the poly stuff that does this? What if one did a complete car with it?
Poly is good if you are racing the car around pylons but for every day use they will
A) Squeak,
B) Destroy faster and
C) Take away give that was designed to be in the component parts.
Why do I carry them... because when we pulled it down off the site customers would still request it... My guys try to dissuade customers from buying it but they still want and purchase it.
Email me at Support@WillcoxCorvette.com and I'll send you a set of rubber cushions to replace these with.
Regards,
Ernie.
Last edited by Willcox Corvette; Aug 11, 2015 at 09:23 PM.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,682
Likes: 696
From: Danville Illinois
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
2021 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
I will not install poly anything in my shop.. I hate the stuff and as you can see the life span is nothing of the original stuff.
Poly is good if you are racing the car around pylons but for every day use they will
A) Squeak,
B) Destroy faster and
C) Take away give that was designed to be in the component parts.
Why do I carry them... because when we pulled it down off the site customers would still request it... My guys try to dissuade customers from buying it but they still want and purchase it.
Email me at Support@WillcoxCorvette.com and I'll send you a set of rubber cushions to replace these with.
Regards,
Ernie.
Poly is good if you are racing the car around pylons but for every day use they will
A) Squeak,
B) Destroy faster and
C) Take away give that was designed to be in the component parts.
Why do I carry them... because when we pulled it down off the site customers would still request it... My guys try to dissuade customers from buying it but they still want and purchase it.
Email me at Support@WillcoxCorvette.com and I'll send you a set of rubber cushions to replace these with.
Regards,
Ernie.
Ordered them from you this afternoon, specified i wanted the rubber ones.
Thank you again Willcox
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,347
Likes: 121
From: Kernersville NC
Is your cotter pin completely below the nut rather than being inserted through the castellation slots? Looks like it's tightened up about 1/4" too much. That may have played a part in the early deterioration of the bushing.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,682
Likes: 696
From: Danville Illinois
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
2021 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,222
Likes: 93
From: shelbyville West Michigan
I will not install poly anything in my shop.. I hate the stuff and as you can see the life span is nothing of the original stuff.
Poly is good if you are racing the car around pylons but for every day use they will
A) Squeak,
B) Destroy faster and
C) Take away give that was designed to be in the component parts.
Why do I carry them... because when we pulled it down off the site customers would still request it... My guys try to dissuade customers from buying it but they still want and purchase it.
Email me at Support@WillcoxCorvette.com and I'll send you a set of rubber cushions to replace these with.
Regards,
Ernie.
Poly is good if you are racing the car around pylons but for every day use they will
A) Squeak,
B) Destroy faster and
C) Take away give that was designed to be in the component parts.
Why do I carry them... because when we pulled it down off the site customers would still request it... My guys try to dissuade customers from buying it but they still want and purchase it.
Email me at Support@WillcoxCorvette.com and I'll send you a set of rubber cushions to replace these with.
Regards,
Ernie.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,284
Likes: 1,171
From: Hermosa
Good observation. I'm not sure that would or should play a part in the deterioration of those bushings though. The bolt has lots of threads on it so if you continue to tighten it should just compress the spring upward. Same as is happening in use.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,347
Likes: 121
From: Kernersville NC
You are correct. I was thinking about the diff snubber when I wrote that. I have used poly bushings in the past on different applications and have had no issue. My 68 has poly front control arm bushings, both sway bar bushings, motor and transmission mounts. There is no evidence of deterioration at all. Maybe you just got some bad ones. I have only used the Energy Suspension products. Good luck.